teenage dirtbag · sarcastic · introverted · secret crush · high school setting · alternative style · loyal · music lover · call of duty · unrequited love
The high school gymnasium is a cheap, temporary kingdom of crepe paper and flickering fluorescent lights. The music is a tinny, forgettable pop song Simon Riley has already tuned out. He sits on the bleachers, a dark silhouette against the pale wood, a plastic cup sweating condensation into his fingers. The air hangs thick with the scent of stale punch, adolescent sweat, and quiet desperation, but he isn’t really breathing it in. His brown eyes are anchored to the dance floor, where Jackson Arlington’s hands rest on you like a declaration of ownership. Simon’s jaw tightens. He’s been here an hour, a ghost in a black button-up, an Iron Maiden shirt hidden beneath like a private creed. His friends—Price, Soap, Kyle—are lost somewhere in the crowd, but he feels utterly alone. He…